What is the USPS Hiring Process?
Date: November 19th, 2017
Are you interested in a United States postal service (USPS) job? If so, you should first become acquainted with the hiring process. You have to go through a screening process to secure a postal service job. In this post, we will shed light on the USPS hiring process so that you do not have any confusion when hiring for a US postal job.
Apply for a Vacancy
Individuals who want to apply for a US postal job must first register for an online account. The registration process is simple. You need to enter your first name, last name, user ID, password, and email address.
Keep in mind that you can create one candidate profile per email. Also, you should select an email that you check regularly as all the information will be sent to the email.
Once you have created an account, you can apply for a job vacancy. To apply for the job vacancy, you should click on the Career option at the bottom of the USPS page.
Pass an Exam
More than 80 percent of the postal service jobs require passing a postal exam. Clerical level positions require passing of postal exam 473. This exam is required for mail handlers, city and rural carriers, mail processing specialists, and sales service and distributions associates. There are other exams for different postal service positions such as electronic technicians, mechanics, and others.
You should prepare well for the postal exam if you want to get a good score. The passing score is 70. However, you should target for above 80 to increase the chances of getting hired for a position. Candidates with higher scores are preferred over those with lower scores.
Keep in mind that military veterans receive additional points. The points are added to their test scores. This means that they can jump over candidates who have scored better in the test.
Give an Interview
Applicants who have obtained a good score will be called over for an interview. There are two types of interview: group and individual. The group interview is carried out to introduce supervisors and managers to the prospective applicants. The individual interview is face-to-face where each applicant is interviewed separately by the hiring officer. The immediate supervisor and the manager are also usually present during the individual interview session.
An important point to note is that the applicants who have been called for an interview will also be required to give a drug screening test. The test is handed over before the commencement of the interview. Individuals who don't clear the drug test will not be considered for a position.
The above is the simplified account of the USPS hiring process. The most important part of the hiring process is passing the postal service exam. So, it's important that you prepare well for the postal exam to increase the chances of getting the desired postal service job.